Crawford 427/2

Moneyer:  C. Memmius C. f. Denarius 56, BC

Denomination: Denarius

Obverse: C·MEMMI·C·F· – QVIRINVS; Laureate head of Quirinus right

Reverse: MEMMIVS· AED·CERIALIA·PREIMVS·FECIT Ceres l. seated right, holding torch in left hand and corn ear in right hand; at her feet, snake.

Reference: Crawford 427/2

Mint: Rome

Weight: 3,62 g

Notes: The bearded head depicted on the obverse of this denarius is clearly identified as Quirinus, a Sabine war deity assimilated by the early Romans. His name is variously understood by the ancient authorities as derived from the Sabine word quires("spear") or from the town of Cures. Whatever the case, the Quirinal Hill of Rome is named after him. For unknown reasons, by the end of the first century BC, Quirinus was recognised as the deified form of Romulus, the founder of Rome.

The reverse type and legend celebrate the deeds of an ancestor of the moneyer C. Memmius-an obscure Memmius, who is said to have introduced the Cerialia festival while holding the office of aedile. This festival honoured the Roman grain goddess, Ceres, who is depicted here, and was annually held on April 12-18. By 175 BC, the Cerialia involved three major sets of ludi, or games: the ludi Cerialis, which involved women carrying lighted torches running around in imitation of Ceres' search for her lost daughter Proserpina; the ludi circenses, which involved horse races and other events at the circus; and the ludi scaenici, which involved theatrical performances of religious significance. Although the legend on the coin gives the impression that Memmius the aedile was the founder of the entire Cerealia, sometimes leading to accusations that C. Memmius has fabricated a glorious plebeian ancestor for himself, it is believed that the aedile was responsible for adding the ludi scaenici to the games already associated with the Cerialia. In this case C. Memmius is only guilty of embellishment, rather than complete fabrication.

Collection : 16 Roman Republic